iterative
adjective
it·er·a·tive
ˈi-tə-ˌrā-tiv 
-rə-
-rə-
: involving repetition: such as
a
: expressing repetition of a verbal action
b
: utilizing the repetition of a sequence of operations or procedures
iterative programming methods
iteratively
adverb
Examples of iterative in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Photograph: Apple Every new iPhone in the past few years may have felt like an iterative upgrade—slightly better camera here, slightly better performance there.
—
Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 12 Sep. 2023
Apple AirPods Pro Wireless Earbuds (2nd Gen) for $199.00 (List Price $249)
Apple AirPods 3rd Generation
Well known for iterative design, Apple likes to let the marketplace shape its product offerings over time.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 15 Aug. 2023
This planning is iterative, refined through drills that test our assumptions and expose our weaknesses.
—Mary C. Meyer, STAT, 1 Aug. 2023
What sets the video-game industry apart from other programming jobs, Chakraverty says, is the highly iterative nature of the work.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
Many of the upgrades this year (like most years of late) are iterative.
—WIRED, 26 July 2023
The answers, therefore, are malleable, and the user needs to participate in an iterative process to shape them into something useful.
—James Intriligator, Fortune, 24 July 2023
This iterative approach is important because models are able to adapt as they are exposed to new data.
—Raghu Bongula, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Like many technological innovations, writing robots are meant to create efficiency, particularly for businesses that have to produce large amounts of iterative text.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 11 July 2023
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Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 12 Sep. 2023
Apple AirPods Pro Wireless Earbuds (2nd Gen) for $199.00 (List Price $249)
Apple AirPods 3rd Generation
Well known for iterative design, Apple likes to let the marketplace shape its product offerings over time.
—K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 15 Aug. 2023
This planning is iterative, refined through drills that test our assumptions and expose our weaknesses.
—Mary C. Meyer, STAT, 1 Aug. 2023
What sets the video-game industry apart from other programming jobs, Chakraverty says, is the highly iterative nature of the work.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
Many of the upgrades this year (like most years of late) are iterative.
—WIRED, 26 July 2023
The answers, therefore, are malleable, and the user needs to participate in an iterative process to shape them into something useful.
—James Intriligator, Fortune, 24 July 2023
This iterative approach is important because models are able to adapt as they are exposed to new data.
—Raghu Bongula, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Like many technological innovations, writing robots are meant to create efficiency, particularly for businesses that have to produce large amounts of iterative text.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 11 July 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iterative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of iterative was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near iterative
Cite this Entry
“Iterative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iterative. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on iterative
Britannica English: Translation of iterative for Arabic Speakers
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